


A Performance I'll Remember

by winter_mao_flower



Series: Your Sounds (They're Beautiful) [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth Twins, Claude Dimitri and Edelgard are childhood friends, Dimitri is in love with Byleth, Dimitri is with M!Byleth, F!Byleth is Bylethe, Fluff, Kaspook ghost, M!Byleth is Byleth, M/M, Modern AU, Pining, band au, hopefully i'll be able to update soon, so in love, tags will be updated as chapters continue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2020-10-15 00:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20609534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winter_mao_flower/pseuds/winter_mao_flower
Summary: Dimitri at first, isn't sure what to think about their new professors.Now he thinks he might be in love with one of them.





	1. The Beginning

There was silence in Dimitri’s room, and he was sleeping peacefully. No dreams or nightmares plagued his mind as he slept. All was quiet.

That is, until the loud sound of a kazoo playing ‘Careless Whisper’ blasted into his ear, causing him to send a punch to the side. The kazoo playing didn’t stop. But he did hear a dreadfully familiar voice.

“Your Highness~ Wake up! It’s time for college~! It’s the first day, come on.”

“Go away Claude. And don’t call me ‘Your Highness.’” Dimitri grumbled softly under his covers, eyes shut tight.

Claude had climbed into Dimitri’s room from...the vents. He was a true madman for doing this. Perhaps Dimitri was even more mad from getting used to this. The other didn’t change much through the years.

“Why do you not bother Edelgard like this?”

“Boys aren’t allowed to go in the girl’s dorms.”

“And you would let that stop you?”

“You got me there Dimitri.”

He sighed, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. “I’m awake now, are you pleased, Claude?”

“Yep. I gotta go get ready by myself now. See ya later Dimitri.”

As Claude left through the vents again, the blonde stared off into space before checking the time. It was six in the morning. Of course. Dimitri didn’t have class until 8:30. Still...he guessed he was grateful that Claude...cared. He put on casual clothes, packing his laptop and books in his bag before heading over to campus.

He arrived in the lecture hall an hour early, a cup of coffee in hand. Dimitri looked around, not surprised that there was no one but him there. He sat down near the front. His eyes closed as he drank his coffee, putting it down and starting to hum softly as he listened to music on his phone.

Though, he stopped humming once more people streamed into the room.

“Good morning Dimitri!” Ashe sat next to him with a happy smile on his face. Seems someone was in a good mood this morning.

“Good morning, Ashe.” Dimitri had a small smile on his face, putting his now empty cup of coffee to the side.

“I heard we’re going to have new professors. What do you think they’re going to be like?”

“Who knows. Though, I have a feeling they’ll be nice.”

Low murmurs and soft conversations were heard around the hall, not everyone was at one hundred percent. It made sense, he supposed. It was still early in the morning. 

Then the door opened, and he heard a soft gasp from Ashe. Though he supposed he could see why.

A relatively tall (and handsome) male entered the lecture hall, his dark green hair was at medium length (that is, for a guy) and he wore a black turtleneck sweater with a dark grey blazer hanging over his shoulders, along with jeans. He seemed to be stoic and strict. His expression almost appeared to be a tired (and perhaps displeased?) one.

“Hello, my name is Byleth Eisner, and I will be your Professor.” 

“!” His voice...it was very pleasant to listen to.

“I also have a twin sister who teaches here, her name is the same as mine except it ends with an ‘e’, so I won’t blame you if you mix us up every so often.” He paused. “I teach Chemistry, and I’m not going to try to make anyone’s lives hard, so if you have any questions I will try to answer them in the lecture. My email is going to be written on the board along with my phone number, so if anyone needs to talk to me or ask extra questions, just contact me. I’m also fairly lenient with the work you turn in, but make sure the work isn’t more than three days late.”

“...Also, I want to know, who here hasn’t eaten breakfast yet?”

Dimitri had his hand raised halfway. He had a cup of coffee, but he didn’t eat breakfast. Most of the students in their class were also raising their hands, confused looks on their faces.

“Give me a moment, keep your hands raised.” The professor walked outside of the classroom for a few seconds, and rolled in a box. ...Whatever was in there, smelled good.

Dimitri didn’t know what he was expecting when Byleth came into the classroom. But he _ was not _expecting his professor to provide all of them with breakfast. Not only that, but he also gave them canned coffee as well.

“The lecture will start in ten minutes.” That’s all their professor said before starting to write his email and phone number on the board. He was…

“Our Professor is very kind.” Dimitri spoke softly as he started to eat the breakfast that was provided.

“He really is...I somehow expected him to be completely different.” Ashe was also eating the breakfast provided.

“Oh? Have you met him before?”

“N-Not personally…” Ashe lightly scratched his cheek. “He’s a part of a well known band, Royal Flush. He’s the guitarist. Though, he’s more well known by his stage name ‘King.’”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. “You seem to know a lot.”

“Hehe...I’m a big fan of them. So is Annette. We went to one of their live concerts together before.”

“I see.”

And so class started. Some of the time was spent introducing themselves, and then the rest was a review over the past concepts of Chemistry (along with what they would be learning this semester). Although Dimitri would normally be paying attention to the content, he always found himself distracted by the Professor instead. Perhaps he'd give their music a listen...maybe watch one of their live shows too.

As the lecture ended and the class filtered out, Dimitri was the last one left.

“Professor.”

“Yes, Dimitri?” Byleth turned around.

And like in every clichéd drama, it was like time stopped. Their faces were...close for some reason. Not too close but...enough to where Dimitri could clearly see the light reflecting off of the Professor's purple eyes. It stole his breath away.

A few moments later, he realized he was staring a bit too long and struggled to speak. “I'd...like to thank you for your kindness today.”

Byleth's eyes appeared to soften. “It's no problem.”

Dimitri tilted his head, seeming to be in thought. “Is there a way I could help repay you for it?”

The Professor shook his head. “You don't have to. The most I can ask is for you to do well in this class.”

“...” He nodded, a small smile on his face. “Then I will be sure to do my best in your class, Professor.” 

“I'm looking forward to seeing you at your best, Dimitri.” 

He thinks his heart might've skipped a beat.

* * *

Dimitri went out to eat with Claude and Edelgard a couple of weeks after they got situated into their respective classes.

His thoughts were still back in the lecture hall, thinking about Byleth. His eyes were very pretty and he was so kind. During the times he saw Byleth on campus or in class, the professor always greeted him and asked how he was doing. He appeared to actually care about his students, despite his stoic exterior. 

Dimitri quickly learned that despite appearances, his professor was actually a little awkward, especially when it came to discussing matters with his band. He actually appeared to be a little shy when someone brought it up. <strike>_ And that was pretty cute._</strike>

As he was thinking about his professor, his mind wandered back to the first day, when he looked into Byleth’s pretty eyes and talked with him.

_ “I'm looking forward to seeing you at your best, Dimitri.” _

“...” Dimitri gently hit his head on the table.

“Are...are you okay Dimitri?” Claude spoke, slightly concerned about his friend who was hitting their head on the table.

“I'm fine.”

“Mmm okay if you say s- El? You too?”

Edelgard was also...hitting her head on the table.

Dimitri didn't know why Byleth's words affected him so much. It...was it a bad thing that they had that effect on him? Ah. He didn't know anymore.

“Oooookay.” Claude relaxed in his seat and laced his fingers behind his head. “Oh, we got new Professors this year, I thought they’d be strict at first but they’re actually pretty nice. And interesting.” 

It would seem like both Dimitri and Edelgard had the same problem when it came to their respective professors, because upon hearing Claude say that, they rose up from their seats almost immediately.

“...” Claude stared at them, before having a small grin on his face. “Do...Do I sense that you guys have a crush on our new professors?”

“N-No!” Both of them answered at the same time, and the other just laughed- though it sounded more like an...evil cackle.

“I just...think he’s nice and caring. Despite his stoic exterior.” Dimitri sipped his tea as he said this, but there was surely a light tint of pink on his cheeks. 

“She’s the vocalist of one of my favorite bands…I simply look up to her.” Edelgard also sipped her tea, looking anywhere and everywhere _ except _at them.

“Mhm.” Claude played with his braid. “So...both being extremely hot and attractive isn’t a factor?”

Once again, both of them, at the same time, choked on their tea while Claude had a smug grin, but his eyes shone with slight disbelief.

“I hit the nail on the head, huh?”

Dimitri collected himself and cleared his throat. “Not another word out of you Claude.”

“I have to agree with Dimitri.”

“Alright alright. I got it.” Claude smiled and rested his head on his hand. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure El already knows, but our professors are a part of a band called Royal Flush.”

“I don’t believe I’ve heard their music.” Dimitri tilted his head. “Though, I may have heard their music and not know the band’s name.”

“I went to most of their live concerts.” Edelgard sipped her tea with a neutral expression, but that didn’t hide the sparkles of excitement in her eyes. “It was Professor Bylethe that inspired me, in a way.”

“I’ve heard their music, but I’ve never been to a live concert.” Claude looked at both of them, and a grin crept up onto his face. “Which is why…” He pulled out three tickets. “I got us live concert tickets.”

“You got us tickets?” Edelgard raised her eyebrows, and she almost looked impressed. “I'm surprised.”

“They're not just simple tickets El.” He now had a wide grin, a prideful air around him. “They're front row tickets.”

“Claude?!” Edelgard, no longer keeping her normal calm facade, nearly shouted in excitement. “Are you serious? You aren't lying right? Even when I went to their lives I usually wasn't in the front.” She was standing up, leaning forward to Claude with her hands on the table. She wasn't trying to hide anything at this point.

“Of course not, Lady El.”

Dimitri watched as Edelgard sat back down and appeared to melt. “...When is the live concert?”

“I'm glad you asked, Your Highness.” Claude put the tickets away. “The live is next Saturday night at eight. We can meet up to eat an hour or two before the concert so we don’t starve during the live and faint.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Which venue is it?”

“Garreg Mach Music Venue.”

Edelgard perked up. “That place has a really good restaurant and bar nearby.”

“Hey El, don’t get drunk before the concert.” Claude laughed softly.

“I wouldn’t do that. I’m a responsible person, unlike _ someone else _that’s here.”

“Hey, I bought the tickets.”

“...Point taken.”

Dimitri simply laughed, his thoughts wandering to seeing his professor on stage. 

_ ‘I’m...looking forward to it. Maybe more than I should.’ _

* * *

On the day of the live, Dimitri wasn’t sure what he should wear.

Multiple sets of clothes were laid out on his bed as he thought about what he'd like to wear. He has never been to an actual live concert and this would be his first. Dimitri didn't want to show up in some fancy outfit, of course not. He didn't want to be too casual either…

“Hey Dimitri- woah woah woah, what's the occasion? You've got yourself a girl?” Sylvain popped into Dimitri's room and stared at the different clothes on his bed.

“No I don’t have a girl- what are you doing in here anyway, Sylvain?” Dimitri looked at the redhead who was now sitting at his desk. 

“I was going to ask for homework help but this, _ this _is more interesting. What's the occasion?”

“...Claude got tickets to go to a live concert with me and Edelgard.”

“Ah, so you're not sure what to wear. Alright, don't worry I gotcha.”

“Are...are you _ sure _?”

“Yeah, just leave it to me! The girls will love you in no time.”

“I’m not-”

And so Sylvain ended up being the one to pick out Dimitri’s outfit and dress him up. He wore tight ripped black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. A simple outfit. But…

“Sylvain...I'm pretty sure these jeans are a little too tight.”

“That's the point, Dimitri.”

Dimitri simply stared at Sylvain.

“But man, you don’t look too bad in that outfit. I’m sure anyone could fall for you if you wore stuff like that all the time.”

“Spare me the compliments.” He looked at the time and sighed softly. “Well, I don’t have time to change so I suppose I’ll just go like this.”

Sylvain whistled. “Welp, I guess I’ll go mess with Felix or something in the meantime. I’ll see you later Dimitri.”

“Yeah.”

And when Dimitri arrived at the meeting place, he received stares from both Claude and Edelgard. He stared back, and no one spoke up for a while.

Dimitri was wearing- well, what Sylvain gave him to wear. Edelgard had a Royal Flush t-shirt and a cap, she also had jeans and a bag filled with water bottles. Claude wore a black shirt underneath his yellow hoodie, and he had khaki shorts. Very different outfits.

“...Sylvain.” That’s all he said, as if that explained everything. He supposed it would explain everything though.

“Ah. That makes sense.” Edelgard nodded.

“I figured something like that happened. Dimitri couldn’t dress like that even if he wanted to. His Highness is more of a...preppy jock when it comes to picking outfits.”

“A...A preppy jock? Do I really dress like that?” What did that even mean? 

“Yes Dimitri, you do.” Edelgard crossed her arms, a tiny smile on her face.

“Well anyway, let’s go eat before the concert.”

* * *

“I’m excited to see our professors and their skill.” Claude had his fingers laced behind his head as he stood in the front.

They were in the front, but more to the side of the stage rather than the center front. People filtered in quickly, to Dimitri's surprise. Though Edelgard and Claude seemed to have expected something like this already, so he didn't voice it.

“The live might not start in awhile, but they’re known for making sudden appearances onstage.” Edelgard started to speak, giving them information on the members. “Their vocalist is Professor Bylethe, on stage she goes by ‘Joker’ and she has a beautiful voice. She does a lot of adlibs and changes her tone of voice often to fit the mood, or change the mood when she sings and...well, like I said before, she was the one that inspired me to sing.” Her features softened.

She started to speak faster. “Their guitarist is Professor Byleth, he goes by ‘King’, sometimes he follows the song and other times he improvises. It really makes every performance something worth going to. Their bassist is Shamir, she goes by ‘Ace.’ Even when King improvises, she’s able to follow along as if it was a part of the song itself.” 

“Their keyboardist is Cyril, he goes by ‘Jack.’ He’s a young drummer, and he looks like he’s still in highschool, along with the keyboardist Flayn. Flayn goes by ‘Queen’ and she also appears to be in highschool.” Edelgard inhaled, catching her breath after finishing the explanations.

Dimitri blinked. “You...appear to know a lot.” 

“Of course.” She seemed to have a prideful aura around her.

“Well thanks to diehard fan El here…” Claude started. “I guess it’s good to know a little bit of background for the band.” 

Dimitri nodded in agreement, and the lights in the venue suddenly turned off. “?”

A small high pitched squeal, something that Dimitri nor Claude have heard from her in their who knows how long time of knowing each other, escaped from Edelgard’s lips.

“You-” Edelgard cleared her throat. “You will _ not _speak of this.” A light flush was on her face.

“Yeah that was a weird moment, let’s not mention that we heard you.” Claude held his head with his hand. 

Then there was a strum of a guitar.

Dimitri looked on stage, and saw different silhouettes.

“Testing testing…”

He heard an unfamiliar voice.

“Can everyone hear me well?”

Loud screams echoed throughout the venue.

“Alright alright, looks like the mic’s working over here.”

“The mic works over here too!”

“Same here.”

The other two silhouettes tapped the microphones in front of them, and then they nodded.

“...Alright. Shall we start?”

Dimitri watched as colored lights turned on and shone upon the band members. They all wore casual wear for the most part, but he didn’t know why his heart skipped a beat when he saw Byleth standing with his guitar under the light.

And at the first strum of a guitar string, he was almost immediately entranced by their music. The cheers had faded in his mind, and he could only focus on the song and their performance on stage. Even though it was Bylethe singing, his eyes often drifted to focus on her twin brother instead.

Byleth looked so happy on stage. Though you couldn’t tell from his facial expression, his eyes said everything. It was like his eyes and the way he played spoke to him.

_ “I like being on stage with everyone.” _

_ “I enjoy being in this band.” _

_ “I want to be able to touch everyone’s hearts, even without singing.” _

_ “It’s hard, and I’m not good at expressing myself, but I hope this will reach them.” _

It...touched Dimitri. There were different songs that were sung and played, and with each and everyone of them, vivid images appeared in his mind. Images that were portrayed clearly from both the singing and instruments playing. Loneliness, being comforted, falling in love… 

He could see why Edelgard was so fond of this band now. It was like all their collective stories were being told in different songs. He felt every intense wave of emotion that came across from them and...it made him a little dizzy. ...perhaps he’d become a fan too.

As Dimitri was lost in the songs, he made eye contact with him, the guitarist that was also his dear professor. Byleth appeared to be...studying him and the other’s mouth twitched into a smile. The guitarist then gave the others a glance and a slight nod, before skillfully playing at the strings.

Byleth played with the intensity of a violent storm, yet his aura was that of a calm sunny day. His confidence seemed to rise as well, it was almost like he was showing off. To who? He didn’t know, but he had a feeling that he was trying to show off to _ him _. It was almost like Byleth was telling Dimitri something.

_ “Look, I’m here. I want you to listen.” _

He kept going. He didn’t stop. The rest of the band kept up with him, as if this were routine even though he deviated from the original song itself. He stepped forward, then he stepped back, pouring everything into his guitar playing. 

_ “This is for you, are you listening?” _

Byleth then stepped forward again, another step, and then he leaned down to Dimitri. They were close. Intimately close. Their faces were just a few centimeters apart. Not only did it feel like time stopped, but his heart might’ve stopped beating as well. The intense look in Byleth’s eyes, the small smirk on his lips, the light shining and hitting him in _ just _the right direction, highlighting his handsome features.

“You look good today Dimitri.” A lowered voice spoke into his ear.

He had a high tolerance for the lower temperatures, but no amount of cold could give him more chills than the sound of Byleth’s voice. The other’s voice wasn’t smooth like it usually was. It was husky and almost like he was _ trying _to seduce him. It might be working. Maybe.

Dimitri is positively sure that his face had burst into flames when the other spoke to him. In fact, he was still in a daze even after Byleth returned to his position, his mind replaying Byleth’s words over and over again in his head.

_ “You look good today Dimitri.” _

His mind was blank after that. He couldn’t focus on the rest of the performance. Dimitri was still lost in the time of that moment. That moment when time seemed to stop along with his heart. 

He...he was in love with Byleth wasn’t he? There was so much he didn’t _ know _about him yet...he can’t help but find himself wanting to know more. If anything...Byleth was...intoxicating. Filled with mysteries waiting to be unraveled. 

...He was seriously falling into the deep end when it came to Byleth wasn't he...


	2. Falling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri thinks about Byleth, a lot. He also believes that despite his love for his professor, his professor deserves someone much better. Yet...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School has been taking up most of my time, but here's the next chapter! I enjoyed writing this chapter even though it was just the second one.
> 
> I'd also recommend listening to the Three Houses OST "Recollection and Regret" for this chapter. It just fits the mood of it as you go through it, in my opinion at least.

Dimitri was pretty much almost out of commission for the rest of the performance, he was in a daze. He couldn’t stop thinking about Byleth <strike> _ to no one’s surprise _ </strike> . His eyes, his face, the confident aura, his li-  
  


“...ness. Your Highness...Dimitri?” Claude was waving his hand over his face. “Man, Teach must’ve done a number on him.” He sighed softly. “El too, she’s not snapping out of it either. I wasn’t expecting _ this _ to happen when we got front row for the tickets.”  


He blinked, before shaking his head, bringing his hand up to his head. “I can hear you, Claude.” He cleared his throat afterwards, throat feeling a little dry. “I…”  


“He rises from the dead!” The brown haired male grinned. “I guess you’ve got Sylvain to thank for this huh?”  


“...Perhaps this would be better left unspoken about. I might thank him though.”  


“I have...a picture if you wanted to see.”  


“...Delete it afterwards.”  


Claude laughed. “I gotcha.” He then showed Dimitri his phone screen.  


Dimitri simply...stared at it. The picture had lighting in _ just _ the right areas, and it was surprisingly clear. His own face was flushed, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Byleth’s face was confident, and he seemed to enjoy...teasing Dimitri. The picture also reminded him of just how close they really were.  


“El’s not back from the dead yet, but it’s understandable since the amount of fan service thrown at the two of you were...phew.” Claude fanned himself as he spoke.  


“I…” Dimitri checked his face to see if it had cooled down yet. “...I had no idea he could be like that.”  


“Well, maybe you gave him a confidence boost.” He looked at Edelgard. “...Let’s go ahead and head over to the bar. I think El could use something to drink right now.”  


And so they left the venue, not noticing the other band members, also preparing to leave and head to the bar themselves.  


At the bar next to the music venue, they were sitting at the counter together. Edelgard was ordering a few decently strong drinks, Claude also had the same as Edelgard. Dimitri? He had the lighter drinks. Someone had to take care of them when they headed back.  


“I think...that was the best concert experience I've ever had…” Edelgard's voice was light and whispery, almost in a tone that suggested she was in a dream.  


“I can imagine.” Claude took a sip of his drink.  


“It _ was _ very enjoyable.” Dimitri watched the ice in his drink shift around.  


“Pfft- yeah it was, it must’ve been _ especially _ enjoyable for the two of you.” Claude rested his hand on his head. “Though, I can understand why El loves the band so much. It felt like I was experiencing another person’s life.”  


They both nodded. That’s when Dimitri felt a vibration in his pocket. “?” He struggled a bit to take out his phone from his jeans, but when he did, he saw a simple notification from one of his Professors.  


_ Professor Bylethe: Turn around_  
  


He stared at it, trying to make sense of the message before he slowly turned around. There he was. Byleth and Bylethe were sitting at a table alone with a few drinks on said table. Though, Byleth appeared to be asleep - or at least, half asleep - on Bylethe’s shoulder. His sister, Bylethe, gestured for him to come over and Dimitri was very conflicted.  


“? Dimitri what’re you-” Claude cut himself off when he turned around and saw their professors. “Ah, I see.” He grinned and harshly pat his back. “Go ahead and head over to them. Or rather, him.”  
  
  
“Claude!-” He was promptly pushed off the stool and he sent a tiny glare to his friend before sighing and shuffling towards his professors.  


“I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Bylethe spoke, and gently pushed Byleth’s head off of her shoulder. “Then again, we weren’t expecting to see you at the live concert either.”  


“El’s a big fan, and Claude bought us the tickets.” Talking with Bylethe wasn’t as comfortable as talking with Byleth, though he didn’t know whether it was because of his pining for Byleth or…  


“I see.” She nodded. “I assume Edelgard and Claude are here as well?”  


“Yes, they’re sitting by the counter.”  


“Good. I’ll go see them. I need to discuss something with Edelgard, but perhaps Claude could help too. Can you watch over my brother?”  


“...” Dimitri stared at her, then at Byleth, then back at her. “Sure?”  


“Good, I’m trusting you to take care of him. I’ll be back in a bit.” She started to walk off before pausing. “He’s a little drunk, so he might cling onto you. I hope you aren’t bothered by that.”  


“N-No, it’s fine.” He wasn’t bothered. No. But his heart might not live to see the night through.  


“Alright.” Bylethe pat his head before leaving to go see Claude and Edelgard.  


Dimitri hesitated before tentatively sitting next to his professor, who immediately took hold of his arm and leaned on his shoulder. “!” He covered his face with one of his hands, his face a bright red.  


_ ‘Calm down Dimitri, it’s just your professor.’ _  
  


But that was exactly the problem. It was his professor. Byleth also looked incredibly soft right now. He wore an oversized hoodie with sweater paws, and he was not only clinging onto his arm, but he was also lightly rubbing his cheek onto his shoulder.   


His heart might actually explode. Dimitri’s normally pale cheeks were...probably going to be permanently dyed a bright red. This was another side of Byleth he didn't think he'd ever see.  


_ 'His eyelashes are pretty long…’ _ He took this time to observe Byleth more clearly (his heart still pounding in his chest). His face was flushed, his mouth slightly open, his eyelashes fluttered… Dimitri shakily took one of Byleth's hands and his eyes softened, and he stopped shaking.  


Byleth's hands felt small in his own. And they were so...warm. It gave him...great amounts of comfort. He slowly began to play with Byleth's hand, lacing his fingers in his and observing the small blisters that were on the tips of his fingers.  


“I've finished talking to them.”   


Dimitri jolted up and immediately stopped playing with Byleth's hand.   


Bylethe had come back, and she raised her eyebrow when she saw the intimate position they were in. ...He can only assume she saw him playing with her brother's hand as well.  


“O-Oh you are? Then I should get going…” Dimitri started to move out the seat, before he was pulled back by Byleth.  


“...Don't go…”  


Dimitri felt a tiny mental explosion go off and he had to physically restrain himself from letting out any distressed noises. Instead, he shifted back to his original position as best he could and lightly scratched his cheek.  


He was probably trapped here. Not that...he was complaining he guessed...  


Bylethe raised her eyebrow. “It looks like he's fond of you.”  


He cleared his throat. “It...It would seem so.”  


“Well, still, I shouldn't keep you waiting. C’mon Byleth let him go.”  


“Nooo…” His professor clung onto his arm tighter.  


Never in his years of living would he have thought he'd fall in love with his college professor. Never would he have thought said college professor would be so kind, so charismatic, so...so _ cute._  
  


A fond smile was on his face as Byleth had a staring contest with his sister. As if he were daring her to separate them.  


And separate them she did.   


Bylethe lightly chopped her brother on the head and he let go of Dimitri's arm afterwards.  


Dimitri slowly got out of the seat and _ the look _ in Byleth's eyes almost made him go back. Though his facial expression remained stoic as usual, his eyes were different.  


_ “Are you really leaving me now?”_  
  


It made him feel a little guilty.  


“Byleth, stop giving him that look. You'll see him on Monday, even tomorrow if you happen to see him around.” She sighed and took Dimitri's former place next to him. “You also might want to check on your friends. It's a Saturday night but we'd hate for them to get a bad hangover.”  


He nodded. “Then I will see the both of you on Monday.”  


As he went back to his friends, Claude was still drinking, though he didn’t seem to be tipsy yet, and Edelgard was...she was drunk wasn't she? The flush on her face and the half lidded eyes told him everything.  


“We have to head back to the dorms now, it's getting late.”  


“Gotcha, Your Highness.” Claude hopped off his stool and held his hand out to Edelgard. “C’mon El, we’ve gotta go back.”  


Edelgard blinked slowly before hesitating to step off from the stool and Dimitri moved to be ready to catch her in case she fell. In which she didn’t, but Claude supported her while walking instead.  


And off they went to their dorms.

* * *

It was the next day after the concert, and he was woken up by Claude. Except it was a different song. Today, he played ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ on the kazoo. Yes. Dimitri got rick rolled first thing in the morning thanks to Claude.  


“Claude for the love of-” He swatted his hands to where he assumed Claude was from under the covers. Of course, he missed. Dimitri grumbled softly to himself and sat up, still wrapped in his blanket. “What do you want, Claude?”  


“Hey Your Highness.” He put his kazoo away. “Just wanted to see how you were doing. Edelgard not only has a hangover, but she has post concert depression.”  


Dimitri stared at Claude. And then he looked at the time. Eight in the morning. Then he looked back at his friend. “I assure you that I am fine.” For the most part anyway. “Is there anything else you needed?”  


“Oh yeah. I found out that Professor Byleth makes some _ really _ nice lofi songs.” Claude pulled out a USB. “This has all his current songs on it, though if you want to download songs that he makes in the future, you’d have to download them yourself. I’m no time traveler so I couldn’t do that for you.” A grin was on his face.  


“...Thank you, Claude.” He took the USB and laid back down in bed. Dimitri was still a little tired. “Is that it?”  


“Yep! I’ll see you around Dimitri.”  


And then Claude went back up the vents.  


“He could stand to knock on my door like a normal person.” He mumbled softly and shook his head, a tiny smile making its way onto his face soon after. “...Then again, Claude wouldn’t be Claude, if that were the case.”  


He pushed his blankets off of himself and went to his desk. He got his laptop out and plugged both the charger and USB in, working on downloading the songs to said laptop. While they were downloading, he clicked on a few and listened to them.  


At first, he was a bit surprised to hear his professor’s voice in a few of the songs, yet it was...undeniably relaxing. Dimitri closed his eyes and let the sound of Byleth’s smooth voice enter his ears. He could almost fall back asleep.  


That is, if it weren’t for an untimely knock on the door.  


He paused the music, standing up to go get the door. And who’d he see? No one other than Ashe and Sylvain. A pair you didn’t see often together.  


“Hey Dimitri, heard you got back late last night. How’d it go yesterday? Did you get anyone...special?” Sylvain wiggled his eyebrows and Dimitri sighed.  


“No, Sylvain.” He paused. “Though, I guess I should thank you for choosing my outfit when I was indecisive.”  


“Hey, it’s no problem. That’s what friends are for.” He grinned. “Now Ashe…”  


Ashe was...holding Sylvain’s sleeve? Dimitri also saw him with an expression akin to fear. ...What happened?  


“Um...Dimitri?”  


“Yes, Ashe?”  


“D-Did the kaspook ghost get to you too? I heard the kazoo and…”  


Dimitri and Sylvain stared at him.   


“The-” Dimitri started. “The kaspook ghost.”  


“Yeah, that’s what Lysithea and I decided to call it…”  


“And uh…” Sylvain rubbed the back of his neck. “What exactly does the kaspook ghost do?”  


“The ghost plays the kazoo...and you can’t see them but you can hear them and it sounds like it’s coming from the vents. It’s really creepy...especially at night…”  


“Ashe. It’s not a ghost.” Dimitri shook his head. “It’s...probably Claude.” Who else plays the kazoo in the vents? Though, it was endearing to see that Ashe hadn’t changed since his high school days.  


“D-Did Claude get possessed?”  


“...” Both Dimitri and Sylvain were quiet, and Sylvain just...shrugged.  


“Hey if it concerns you that much, you can always ask Felix to protect you from the kaspook ghost. He'd probably stab it with his violin bow.”  


“Please make sure he doesn't actually stab Claude if you do ask…”  


After a little while, Ashe and Sylvain left to go find Felix. Dimitri looked at his laptop and found that the songs had finished downloading, and he took the USB out before turning his laptop off.  


Perhaps he'd download them to his phone later. For now though… Maybe he'd go out to a cafe and relax for a bit. After changing to his usual attire of course.

* * *

Upon arriving at the cafe, he was surprised to see his professor there.   


He looked a little disheveled and sleepy. His usual stoic expression looked more of one that said “I might collapse soon” and his eyes were a little dull. Hmm. That was worrisome.  


“Professor?” Dimitri approached his professor, who was working at the counter.  


“...” Byleth shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “...Dimitri?”  


“You look tired, are you alright?”  


“Mhm, don't worry about me. What would you like to order?”  


“A simple iced americano...and to take you out on a date.”  


Byleth nodded as he wrote down Dimitri's order, but then he paused and stared at the other during the second part. A long moment of silence passed between the two before Dimitri realized what he said.  


“I-I meant-! To take you out for a break. Because you look really tired, it would be a shame if you were to collapse.” He paused. “I-I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”  


“No.” Byleth shook his head. “It’s...fine.” He lightly scratched his cheek- was that a light blush on his face? No, it probably wasn’t. There was an awkward pause between the two before he spoke up again. “I’ll get you your coffee...I’m going to be on my break soon. Just…” A light yawn. “Go ahead and sit at a table nearby.”  


Dimitri nodded and sat down at a table near the counter. He spaced out as he watched Byleth work, waiting for his coffee.  


He probably did make his professor a little uncomfortable, essentially asking to take him out on a date. Who was he? Sylvain? No, even Sylvain would be smoother than that. He placed his head in his hands, and the more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he got. His face was also surely, _ surely _ a bright red.  


“Dimitri...your coffee.” Byleth’s voice was soft.  


“Ah, thank you.” Their fingers touched. And as cliche as it sounded, he lived for it.   


“I’m going to be on break in…” He trailed off, pausing to think. “In thirty minutes.”  


Dimitri nodded. “Then I will be waiting for you.”  


“Right…” Byleth walked back to the counter, yawning softly.  


During those thirty minutes, Dimitri’s mind wandered off. He had seen different types of people come and interact with his professor. Groups of girls who fawned over him, older people who thanked him and made sure he got tips, others who appeared to be in bands...Byleth seemed to attract a great amount of people.  


That's why he...He could find and deserved someone much better than Dimitri... First of all, the other was his Professor. And he was the student. Even though at the concert...and at the bar...   


A sigh escaped his lips. He really shouldn't allow himself to fall in love with Byleth.  


But he was.   


He was completely and utterly in love. With every day that passed by, he found new things to fall in love with. Why was the Professor like that? Why was he so...addicting?  


No, the real question was...why was _ Dimitri _ like this?  


“Dimitri...let’s go.” Byleth gave him a tired smile and Dimitri nodded, walking out with him and making sure that he wasn’t going to faint.  


They sat in a nearby park, the other yawning again, rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes.

  
“Professor...why are you working already? Surely you must be tired.”  


“Call me Byleth.”  


His heart skipped a beat. “H-Huh?”  


“Byleth. Call me Byleth outside of class.”  


“...Okay.” Dimitri paused, before slowly speaking. “Then...Byleth.” It felt weird. Yet...it also felt like he became a bit closer to him. “Why are you working so early in the morning? You must be tired…”  


“I…” Byleth started, before he shook his head. “I shouldn’t share my own problems with you…”  


He frowned. “I don’t mind listening to them. And you shouldn’t have to shoulder these burdens alone...well, I suppose you’re not technically alone since you have your sister.” The frown turned into a small smile. “I would also...be happy if you could rely on me a little bit more.” He felt his face heat up a little.  


“I see.” His professor leaned back on the bench they were sitting on. “...My sister and I still have student loans from when we went to university. It’s a common problem but...I wanted to continue to look like an example to the rest of you.”   


He held his head with his hand. “We’re both around halfway through paying it off, but we both don’t want to keep being a burden on our father.” A small pause. “Our band also needs a co-manager, or at least, someone who’s able to take our father’s place as the manager when he’s unavailable. His main job is demanding more focus from him, and he can’t do that with us playing as a band.”  


Dimitri quietly listened to his professor speak about what was weighing on his mind, and when he was done, he gently touched Byleth’s hand. “Pro- Byleth…” He shook his head. It was hard, not calling him ‘Professor.’  


“You don’t have to act as an example for everyone. We know that you’re just a normal person, just like the rest of us. You are no mere professor after all. You provide everyone with food if they haven’t eaten, you are kind to all of us, you are understanding when we come to you with our problems. You are also there to defend us if we get into trouble.”  


Dimitri smiled as he recounted all of this. “That is enough, you went above and beyond just for us, and we all appreciate it. So...it’s okay to need a break sometimes, it’s okay if you don’t act like the ‘perfect example’ for a professor. To us, I’m sure that you are already the greatest professor we could have.”  


“Dimitri…”  


“Everyone can attest to that as well. Even Felix, who often hides his true feelings.” He chuckled softly. “As for paying off your student loans...I would offer to help, but I have a feeling that you will not accept any help for paying it off.”  


Byleth nodded. “I won’t accept help for paying off my debts…”  


“Just as I thought. Byleth...even if you must pay off your student loans, you should not overwork yourself. I can see that you are wearing yourself down greatly. Even if it does not show on your face, I can see the weariness in your eyes.” Dimitri gently moved a strand of hair behind Byleth’s ear. “Please...remember to take care of yourself as well. Do not wear yourself down. It’s something you tell us often but you must also follow this advice yourself.”  


“...” His professor’s expression didn’t change, but he could see the conflict in his eyes.  


“As for finding someone to be a co-manager…” Dimitri trailed off. “I would...not mind taking that position. I have some experience managing things, though, I imagine it would be different for managing a band.” He shook his head. “Even so, I will help you. I want to be able to help you, Byleth. And I do not mind doing this at all.”  


“But-”  


“Byleth.” Dimitri smiled and held his Professor’s hand. ...They were so warm...just like at the bar- were they always…? “You have already done so much for us. Please. Allow me to be able to do the same for you.”  


“...” Byleth looked at their hands, before nodding slowly. “I...suppose I can’t stop you if you’re that determined. Thank you, Dimitri.” He then gave Dimitri a smile, and…  


He thinks that was the first smile he’s received from the Professor. One that was, in this moment, specifically for him and him alone.  


“You…” Dimitri was entranced. “Could you...smile for me again?”  


“Hmm? Like this?” And once again, Byleth smiled.  


His heart was racing, and it felt like it was going to combust. “I...Your smile…” He reached out to gently hold Byleth’s cheek, it was almost as if he were hypnotized. “It’s downright mesmerizing, Byleth.”  


“!” The surprise in his Professor’s eyes was evident, and there was a light flush of pink on his cheeks.  


Before what he said could sink in, and before Byleth could respond, his professor's alarm went off.  


“Ah. That's my call to go back to work…” Byleth stood up and nodded to Dimitri. “...I'll see you in class tomorrow and...stay after class. I'll introduce you to the band at practice.”  


“I will. Remember to take breaks if you need to at work, Byleth.”  


A soft chuckle. “I will.” And then Byleth left.

* * *

Dimitri was back in his room after eating lunch. He sat at his desk, listening to the professor’s songs as he recounted the conversation with Byleth, making a mental note to stay after class tomorrow.  


It was at this moment that he remembered. He told the professor that his smile was mesmerizing. The memory replayed over and over again in his head like a broken record. And then it finally sunk in.  


“Did I just say that to the-” Oh yeah. It's hitting him now.  


He can't believe that he just- he- he said that Byleth's smile was mesmerizing. Everything he said to him was true but...oh dear. Dimitri covered his bright red face with his hands. Did the professor think he was hitting on him? It was surely going to be awkward between the two of them now. Though, he vaguely remembers seeing a blush on Byleth’s face, but that couldn’t be right. If it was…  


And so he became lost in his thoughts about his professor as one of the songs played in the background. Byleth’s smooth and soft voice echoing throughout his room.  


_ “I’m falling down into the sea that is you,” _ _   
_ _ “and though we may not be able to be together now,” _

_ “give it some time, I’ll make this promise to you.” _

_ “This promise to eventually come together,” _

_ “and to stay by your side.” _


	3. Like Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri was anxious and unsure about how to act around the band at first, but slowly and steadily...he was warming up to them.

During the car ride to Byleth's band practice, they were quiet. Dimitri's nervousness was a little...well, more than a little apparent. He was silent because he couldn’t think of anything to say and...he couldn't face his professor after saying such things to him yesterday.

_ “...and to take you out on a date.”_  


_ “I...Your smile...it’s downright mesmerizing.”  
_

His face heated up. He’s glad that Byleth’s focusing on the road right now instead of on him. He wondered what the other thought in those moments. Did Byleth hold and share the same feelings? He didn’t know. Dimitri’s not sure if he _ wants _ to know.

“We’re here.” Byleth’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Dimitri nodded. “Right.”

When they arrived in the practice room, the other band members greeted Byleth first, before looking curiously at Dimitri.

“Oh, you’re that one person in the front row at the concert.” Shamir spoke, and she seemed to be appraising him as she did. “What brings you here?”

“Byleth doesn’t bring people in too often, so I can assume it’s one of two things.” Bylethe held up two fingers. “He’s here for the co-manager position, or he’s here to announce that they’re dating.”

Dimitri choked on air while Byleth coughed awkwardly, both of them had flushed cheeks, though the former’s was more visible than the other’s.

“So it’s the latter option then?”

“N-No.” He recollected himself. “It’s...the former option.”

“I see. Well, dad should be available right now. I’ll go get him to see if he approves. You can wait here while the others get started on practice.” And then she left.

“Well, you all heard her.” Cyril nodded to them. “Let's get some practice in.”

“We should make sure to do our best as well! Since we have an audience member watching us.” Flayn got ready on her keyboard.

“Yeah, let's give it a hundred percent like always.”

Byleth smiled at Dimitri and headed to his spot, tuning his guitar strings before nodding to the others.

Dimitri was reminded of the time at the concert. Except...Byleth was the one singing this time. His powerful voice echoed throughout the practice room. It gave him the chills.

This was different from listening to the professor's songs that were posted on the internet. The feeling was different. In his professor's songs, they were calming and soothing. He could easily fall asleep and relax to those.

Right now? Right now, Byleth was singing and pouring everything, _ everything _ into the song. He was singing about being deeply in love, and wave after wave of emotion made its way into Dimitri. Desperation, longing, loneliness.

_ “Why does my heart hurt every time I see you with someone else?” _

_ “I promised myself that so long as you were happy, I would be happy.” _

_ “So why, why do I continue to feel hurt?” _

_ “Why am I unable to let go?” _

_ “Ah~”_  


He was barely able to keep himself standing. It was like he was being torn apart and opened, his own feelings for Byleth being revealed. And Byleth's scream shook Dimitri to the very core. His professor, who was normally very quiet and reserved, yet kind and gentle...it was almost like he became someone else. Someone who was so...emotional yet at the same time, not showing much emotion at all. ...No, this too, was a part of Byleth.

Being surprised by the many sides of his professor was...a recurring theme that happened the more time he spent with him it seems. And for a moment...for just this moment, he'd pretend that Byleth was singing about him. Even though it was a relatively sad song, he couldn't help but want it to be about him. If only because that meant his feelings would be returned.

When the song ended, Dimitri felt...fatigued. He suddenly felt very tired. But he still kept himself on his feet and clapped. 

“Oh? Byleth usually doesn’t sing during practice.”

He turned to see who it was, the voice being one he didn’t recognize. It was an older man who stood by Bylethe and oh. That was probably their actual manager and the father of the twins. 

Almost immediately, Dimitri became anxious.

“Must be because he’s trying to impress a certain someone here.” Shamir had a wry smile on her face as she said this.

Cyril snorted softly. “Gee. I wonder who that certain someone is.”

Byleth awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, and Dimitri coughed. Did this imply that his professor shared the same feelings? ...He finds it impossible that it would be that way. Yet, who else would…?

“Well anyway...you’re the one that’s going to sign up for the co-manager position right?” The man addressed Dimitri.

“Yes.” He straightened his posture a little out of habit.

“Come with me outside, I have to ask you a few questions before you get hired.” And back out the door he went.

Dimitri was about to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and _ dear god their faces were close. _ It was almost like the professor was doing this on purpose.

“You'll get the job. I believe in you.”

Those words were meant to be encouraging. He knew this. They were meant to ease his nerves. He knew this. Yet his heart was still racing a thousand miles an hour. It wasn't the first time this has happened. And he has...a feeling that it won't be the last. So long as his feelings for his professor remained, he…

It took a moment for him to realize he hadn’t responded properly, so he just gave an awkward nod before leaving the room.

When he left, the man was leaning back onto the wall, his arms crossed. If Dimitri was being honest- he was a little intimidated.

“...Byleth seems to be fond of you.”

Dimitri lightly scratched the back of his head, nodding. “Yes...I have heard that many times.” Still...that didn’t necessarily mean…

“He hasn’t sung like since...well, ever since the band was formed. Bylethe became the vocalist and he became the lead guitarist. He preferred to give her all the spotlight with the vocals instead. His presence is already pretty intense with the guitar anyway.” He paused. 

“Today was different, though. And the only thing that was different was you being there.” The man crossed his arms. “That being said, I can see that you bring out the best in Byleth.”

“I...I do?”

“Yeah, you do. Although it looks like neither of you realize it yet.” He then squinted at him, and for some reason, Dimitri felt...very intimidated. “That being said...you don’t have ulterior motives for this, right?”

“Of course not.”

“You're not going to try and become closer to him? You're not going to take this opportunity to try and get closer to the band members and take advantage of them are you?” His tone wasn't accusatory, but it was more...concerned. 

“I will be sure to put the work first before anything else, along with any feelings I may have. I can also assure you that I will not take advantage of you or any of the band members.”

“...” The man stared at him before nodding. “You’re honest. Almost incredibly so. But why here? Why this position? You could have gotten any other job in the world out there if you were looking for something like this.”

“I promised to try and make the pro- excuse me, Byleth’s life easier. He was...incredibly tired and slightly stressed out yesterday.” He remembered the dark circles under his professor's eyes. “He was also worried about getting a co-manager to allow you to focus more on your work. As from what I heard, they are demanding that you focus more on them rather than this job as the band’s manager. I have had past experiences managing things and I wanted to be able to try and help him.” Dimitri’s resolve shone in his eyes. He was surprisingly passionate about this.

“...” The man paused for a bit, and then he laughed softly. “Alright. I can see that you’re determined. It’s not like Byleth to confide to just anybody though, he must trust you a lot.”

That meant...a lot to him. That Byleth trusted him that is. “I'm honored to have his trust.”

“I’m starting to understand why he’s so fond of you.” The man smiled. “My name is Jeralt Eisner. Manager of the band and the father of the twins.” Jeralt held his hand out to Dimitri. “You're the co-manager now. Though, you might be managing them more than me.”

He nodded, proceeding to shake Jeralt’s hand. “And I am Dimitri Blaiddyd. I look forward to working with you.”

* * *

“You're _ what _ ?!”

Aaaaaand here Dimitri was. Breaking the news to Edelgard and Claude, at a barbecue grill, the former having just exclaimed out loud, drawing attention to them.

“Woah there El. I know this is big news but...keep it down a little yeah?” Claude scratched his head.

“Right...I apologize.” A bright flush appeared on her face as she regained her composure. “But...you’re the co-manager to the professor’s band now?”

“Yes.” Dimitri nodded.

“You _ go _ Dimitri. Next is confessing your undying love for Teach huh?”

“C-Claude!” He cleared his throat, hiding the flush on his face. “I will take the work seriously, not mix it up with my personal life.”

“So you _ do _ have feelings for him.” Claude grinned. “Don’t even try to deny it, your feelings for Teach are practically shining.”

The flush on his face only became redder. “...” Claude was right, he couldn’t deny it even if he tried. “I-Is it really that obvious?”

“...Dimitri it’s like there’s this _ giant _ sign that says, in bright bold letters, ‘I am in love with Byleth Eisner.’”

“S-Shhh! Not so loud!” 

“I wasn’t even that loud in the first place.” Claude gave him an exasperated look, something Dimitri gave to him often.

“Still…”

Edelgard laughed softly at this banter.

“El, your love for Bylethe isn’t hidden well either.”

And almost immediately, she spit out her tea. Her laughter turning into choking fits. “C-Claude!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell them, I’ll leave that to you two.”

“Bold of you to assume I will tell him/her my feelings.” Dimitri and Edelgard spoke at the same time, looking at each other. They were scarily in sync.

“Gee. Holding in your feelings like that isn’t exactly _ healthy _ you know.”

Dimitri held his head. “I know, but…”

“Listen. Both of you. I know that they’re your respective professors, and I know that you _ probably _ can’t date them right now, or else they’ll get fired.”

...Yeah no, Dimitri couldn’t have that happen. Not when the professor was still trying so hard to pay off their debt.

“But man, I don’t want this to be some long slow burn novel for you two either. Pining for two years does _ not _ sound very fun.” Claude placed a hand on his head. “Hmm...I’ll probably be able to think of something. I want this to be able to have a ‘happy ending’ after all.”

“Claude…” Edelgard spoke softly.

“Hey, no need to thank me. I’m just being a good friend.” He grins.

Dimitri paused. “Hmm...we only ever talk about ourselves, but what about you, Claude?”

“What about me?”

“Have you found somebody that you are in love with?”

Claude laced his fingers behind his head, leaning back. “Hmm...no, don’t think so.”

“It would be rather unfortunate if you were still single while we found our own happy endings.” Edelgard smiled at him.

“She is right.” Dimitri nodded.

“Aww...thanks guys.” 

“It’s what friends are for, right?” She pat his shoulder.

“Right. Here’s to making our love lives...happy. By the time college ends.”

* * *

It was a little awkward being their co-manager at first. He usually adapted quickly, but sometimes he wasn't sure how to act around them.

“Hmm...Dimitri. Come here for a second” Shamir gestured for him to talk outside with her.

Internally, he reviewed what he could've done wrong. Could he have gotten the wrong strings for replacement? The wrong amp? Could he have messed up with one of the other members?

These thoughts plagued his mind as he left the room, hoping that what he didn't wasn't that-

“You're stiff.”

“Huh?” He blinked.

“Tell me, do you feel uncomfortable being around us? Be honest. This stays between us.”

Dimitri paused. “Well- No. I'm just unsure on how to act around you all.”

“I see. Well it's not like we're that much different from you. Sure there's a few age jumps between some of our members, but we're just...relatively normal people. Like you. There's no need to pretend to be someone else or try to act different to please us. And I'd be angry if you did act like someone else for our sake. Don't let us take your individuality away.”

“...G-Got it.” He lightly scratched his cheek.

“And if being awkward is a concern for you, I'm sure spending enough time with this group will get you loosened up.”

“...” A small smile made its way onto his face. “Right, I'll be sure to...do my best.”

“Like always?”

“...Yeah. Like always.”

Shamir laughed softly. “If you haven't noticed, our band likes using those two words a lot. 'Like always’ are special words to us.”

“I see...I had noticed but I didn't know it held a meaning for you all.”

“Well, now you know.” She nodded. “Now shall we go back? I wouldn't want to keep you from them for too long.”

“Mhm.” He nodded and went back inside. Shamir went back to her original position and nodded to the others.

They played for a long while. Their music was always so entrancing, even moreso when he could see them perform in person. Though, he ended up becoming a...bit lost in his thoughts.

Dimitri noted that...indeed, everyone here was different in their own ways. He hadn't really noticed before, but everyone in this band...they were different. Two high school students and three working members.

He already knew the twin professors were working to pay off their debt but- actually, how was this band formed in the first place? How did they find the members? He could ask but he would feel...a bit...like he was intruding.

For now- he supposed he would work on becoming more comfortable around them. And less...stiff, as Shamir put it.

* * *

“Hey, manager.” Cyril called out to him.

“Yes, Cyril?” Dimitri blinked.

“You know you don't have to stay back and help us clean up after practice right? You can just head back. You gotta be pretty busy since you're in college aren't ya?”

“Well, I don't necessarily mind. I enjoy helping all of you out.”

“Mmm well, if ya say so. Just make sure to work on your own things too.”

“...I will keep that in mind Cyril.” He paused. “How is school going for you?”

“School? Well it's alright I guess. Learning’s real fun there and the work's not too hard either. The people there aren't the best, but I know they probably have their own things to deal with. So I don't say anything.”

He nodded as he put the rest of the sheet music in his folder. “Well, if you need help with homework or anything, I'd be happy to provide assistance.”

“Nah, you do enough for me already. Plus I've got a tutor.”

“Oh? You do?”

“Yeah, she's in college like you but she's around my age. She's real smart and she has a pretty smile.”

“I've met her before!” Flayn came over with a smile. “She's helped me too. She really is smart! Despite being our age, she already has a firm grasp on concepts far beyond our level. I admire her very much!”

“I do too.” Cyril nodded. “Oh, you might know her actually. Her name's Lysithea von Ordelia.”

“Ah. I do know her. I spot her around campus and she is one of the top students at our college.” Dimitri nods.

“Woah. I can't believe she's our age sometimes. She's so...amazing.” Cyril blinked.

Flayn nodded in agreement.

“As are the two of you.” He pat their heads. “Everyone is amazing in their own way, though it may take some time to see or discover it, it's still there. You are your own people. Do not compare yourselves too much.”

“...” Cyril and Flayn were both stunned into silence.

“Dimitri, could you come here for a sec?” Shamir called out to him and he nodded. 

“I'll be right there.” He gave Cyril and Flayn one more headpat before leaving to go see what Shamir wanted.

“...Dimitri's amazing too. I feel a little more motivated now.”

“Indeed. Though I can't help but wonder if it was fate that brought him here to us.” Flayn mused.

* * *

The days passed rather quickly, with Dimitri being both a college student and the co-manager of the band. Despite becoming the co-manager of the band to help his professor at first, he found himself to be fully invested. He realized that he really enjoyed his time with them, and that he would always be thinking about them even outside of their band practice. Jeralt would even praise him for his dedication and work.

That- This wasn't to say that he skipped out on college work. Good heavens no. He still did it when he had time. It wouldn’t bode well to skip college work just because he was managing the band...Byleth probably would not be too pleased with it either if his band was the cause of Dimitri’s lapse in his grades.

The band had made him feel as if he were a part of a family. A warm and happy family. Something that he had lost a long time ago. Though, he had (or liked to think that he) moved on from that incident. Having this feeling of being in a warm and happy family again well- It wasn't that bad of a feeling. Each member had their own quirks and traits, but they were all bound together by music...and he found that beautiful.

He always found himself doing _ something _ , and while he did not mind it (it actually made him happy that he was being so productive), it felt like he was losing a grip and his control on time. Before he knew it, it was already midway through autumn.

“Alright, we’re done for today.”

The band members nodded and started to put their equipment away. Dimitri was checking their schedules to see if anyone had any upcoming events. Either individually, or the band as a whole.

“Oh, by the way.” He spoke up. “We have a battle of the bands event in two weeks.”

“The Battle of the Eagle and the Lion right?” Shamir put her bass in its case.

“Indeed.” Dimitri nodded.

“Well, that one’s for more experienced bands like us, rather than the other ones we’ve participated in before. Those were to introduce new bands and get them popular, which is why we’re usually the ending act. It’s either us or The Knights.” Cyril twirled his drum sticks.

“It makes me happy seeing people start their careers in music!” Flayn smiled, sparkles shining in her eyes. “Even if the audience is there to see a different band at first, they become fans of the other ones too.”

“Still, that doesn't mean we can't do our best out there.” Bylethe gave them a small smile. “If we didn't give it our all onstage, then the other bands would probably feel invalidated.”

“Mhm.” Byleth nodded.

“That being said, what are we planning to do for this year's Battle of the Eagle and the Lion?” Shamir rested her hand on her hip. “We've got some strong competition this year.”

The members were discussing things and throwing ideas around. A newly composed song? Or one of their old songs. A different concept than usual?

Dimitri was also trying to think of something. What could help them win this battle of the bands? While their goal was to just enjoy it...he could feel the competitive spirit. It felt good to win, and he wanted that for them.

He glanced over at Byleth. They made eye contact. An idea appeared in his head at that moment.

“Why don't we have Byleth sing?”

Surprise filled Byleth's eyes, and the other band members appeared to think about it. Bylethe just gave a knowing smile, before nodding.

“That sounds good to me. It'll surely be a great surprise to the audience.”

“We should add a new song to the table too! Double the surprise.” Flayn seemed very excited about this.

“Triple the surprise and make it an entirely different concept.” Shamir mused.

“O-Of course this is,” Dimitri cleared his throat. “This is only if Byleth is fine with it.” He glanced over to the person in question, concerned that he may have felt uncomfortable with this turn of events. But the other's body language didn't suggest he was uncomfortable.

In fact he almost looked...happy. Overjoyed even.

Byleth nodded. “I'll do my best.”

“...” He was relieved. “Then I look forward to seeing you at your best, Byleth.”

“Don't forget about the rest of us.” Cyril deadpanned, but there was a small smile on his face.

“Right, I look forward to seeing all of you at your best…like always.”

“Yep, like always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School is terrible- it's been so long since my last update and I'm sorry for that asjdhfkjsadhfkjas


	4. Inspiration and Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Byleth go out to try and find inspiration for the latter's song. They do find some inspiration, but they also reminisce on some particularly old memories as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iiiiiiiiiiit's here! It's been a hot minute since the last update but I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“The leaves are turning brown.” Dimitri noted. “They’ll fall by the time winter comes.”  
  


“Mhm.” Byleth sat on one of the benches, patting the space next to him. In which he nodded and quietly sat next to him.  
  


Silence fell between the two, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable one. Rather, it was like they were in their own worlds and basking in each other’s presence. With an occasional shiver from Byleth.   
  


They were currently looking for inspiration. Byleth had a vague idea of what he wanted to do, but not a clear one. They’ve been spending more time as of late because of this as well. While the time spent together was always enjoyable (something Claude often teased him for), there were more things to think about for songwriting than he thought.   
  


He wanted something different, but not too different. Questions that were asked were things like: What would the subject be? What would the mood of the song be? What message would the song portray?  
  


Dimitri supposed there was a lot for Byleth to think about. Though the other was shivering for a while...was it that cold?   
  


“Byleth, are you cold?” He should've been paying more attention. Just because he was used to the cold didn't mean that the other was.  
  


The other shook his head. “No…”  
  


He gave Byleth a frown. “You’re shivering.”  
  


“I’m fine.” A barely noticeable pout was given to him in response.  
  


His heart totally didn't skip a beat just now. Nope. Don't know what you're talking about.  
  


“No, it wouldn’t bode well for you to catch a cold, here, I will lend you my jacket.” Dimitri took the jacket he was wearing off and wrapping it around Byleth.  
  


“...” Byleth appeared to wrap himself more into the jacket, almost like a cocoon...or a sushi. This caused Dimitri to smile, Byleth was cute like this, and it would seem like he was cold after all.  
  


“Aren't you cold though?” Byleth looked at him and he shook his head.  
  


“I'm not cold, in fact, I'm very much used to colder temperatures than this.” Dimitri lightly scratched his cheek as he said this.  
  


He huffed. “I don't understand how you can just...not be affected by this weather.”  
  


“Byleth, where I'm from? It gets much much colder than this. Normally our winters bring us into the negatives.”  
  


“...” Byleth didn't respond to that, perhaps unable to comprehend the fact that Dimitri was used to such cold weather, but he did bring out his notepad. He started writing in it.  
  


“Did an idea come to mind?”  
  


“Yes.” A tiny smile was on his face as he continued to write, before eventually putting his notepad away. “I think I should be done here.”  
  


Dimitri never tired of seeing that smile, no matter how big or small it was.  
  


“If I may ask, what did you write?”  
  


His professor just shook his head. “I’ll keep it a secret for now.”  
  


“I see.” Dimitri nodded. “Though I can’t help but be curious...I suppose I’ll just wait for you to finish the song.”  
  


Byleth nodded. “...I hope you’ll look forward to it.”  
  


“I will. You are a talented person after all, Byleth. You have a beautiful singing voice and have an amazing ability to compose and create songs.”  
  


His professor lightly scratched his cheek, a faint blush on his face. “You flatter me too much.”  
  


Dimitri shook his head. “No, I only speak the truth Byleth.”  
  


There was a moment of silence that passed between them before Byleth spoke again. “I...think I’m done here.”  
  


He nodded. “Okay. Where do you want to go next?”  
  


“Perhaps…”

* * *

They were on a bus, headed towards...somewhere. Byleth didn’t say where.  
  


As they sat next to each other, his Professor brought out his phone and started to type away - probably texting his sister - before eventually pocketing the device.  
  


“Byleth, where are we going?”  
  


“...You’ll see.” The other’s eyes twinkled with amusement as Dimitri tilted his head in confusion.  
  


The rest of the bus ride was enveloped in a comfortable atmosphere between them as they talked about many things. Such as, the band.  
  


_ (“Remember when we went out to eat and Flayn hogged all the fish?”) _

_ (“Yes...I remember that well. She really enjoys her fish doesn’t she?”) _

(“The food is special to her after all.”)  
  


College and the assignments that were given.  
  


_ (“The band isn’t getting in the way of your college work is it?”) _

(“No, don’t worry. I keep track of my grades.”)  
  
(“It seems like you’re always spending time with us though, I’m somewhat surprised that you can still keep up with your grades.”)  
  


Byleth’s work…  
  


_ (“You’re not overworking yourself anymore, right?”) _

_ (“No, I’ve quit a couple of my jobs.”) _

(“That’s good...but if you start overworking yourself, I will have no choice but to tie you up and keep you in your room to ensure that you rest.”)  
  


At the last words of his sentence, Dimitri paused after seeing Byleth cough a little and turn away, a pink flush appearing on his face. Had he said something wrong? He tilted his head as he tried to think about what he said.  
  


…

…

…  
  


Oh. _ Oh. _ Was- Was it the comment about him tying Byleth up?  
  


Dimitri coughed awkwardly and he was at a loss of words. He should've phrased that better. Though if Sylvain were here, he would make a completely unnecessary comment about his phrasing...ugh...maybe he was finally rubbing off on him after all those years.  
  


“I…” He cleared his throat, a light flush on his face. “I should have worded that better, I apologize.”  
  


“It’s...it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I know you didn’t mean it in...that way.” Byleth patted Dimitri’s shoulder in reassurance.  
  


It still didn’t make him _feel _very reassured. He opened his mouth to say something, but the bus stopped and the other stood up.  
  


“This is our stop, let’s go.”  
  


Dimitri closed his mouth and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be right behind you.”  
  


As they left the bus, Dimitri looked around. The area they were in appeared to be near a beach. He doesn’t recall having ever been here before. Then again, he doesn’t really explore much in the first place.  
  


“Over here.” Byleth gestured to him to follow.  
  


And Dimitri did indeed follow. As he walked behind his professor, he was admiring the sunset and how the colors appeared to stain the bottom of the clouds and reflect across the ocean’s waves. He may not be an art major, but he could still appreciate the view.  
  


“Dimitri.” Byleth’s voice took him out of his thoughts.  
  


“Yes?”  
  


“You’ll get a better view here.” He smiled as he tapped the fence.  
  


Dimitri walked over and stood next to the other, smiling at him before looking out into the ocean. The view was...much better, and somehow it was more breathtaking.  
  


“You’re right, the view is…” And he trailed off as he looked at his professor. The colors of the sunset bounced off his face, the warm colors a contrast to Byleth’s typical cool colors. Yet, the light that shone in his eyes were surely as warm as the gentle shine of the sun’s rays.   
  


Then Byleth started to hum.  
  


It was a soft and quiet hum. The tune was familiar yet unfamiliar, it brought a gentle sense of nostalgia and both sadness and happiness. This song gave him a strange mixture of emotions, yet it wasn’t unwelcome. One could compare it to seeing an old friend again after a very long time and seeing how they have changed.  
  


Or maybe the longing for a lover they cannot have.  
  


Dimitri’s heart clenched at that thought. He knew that feeling all too well. Yet, he shouldn’t project those feelings onto the other, or this interpretation of the hum. After all, this was...probably just him, and when Byleth stopped humming, he simply clapped softly.   
  
“That is a beautiful song Byleth.”  
  


“...Thank you. It was sung to me as a lullaby when Bylethe and I were small.”  
  


“By Jeralt?”  
  


“No, by our mother.” There was a long pause. “She...died in an accident when we were...I don’t remember, but it was a long time ago.”  
  


He frowned almost immediately, reaching out to touch Byleth’s shoulder before hesitating and pulling his hand back. “I’m sorry to hear that…”  
  


“No, don’t be.” Byleth shook his head. “Whatever happened, happened. You can’t change the past after all.” He smiled at him.  
  


Yet that smile was frail and strained. His eyes were filled with loneliness and sadness. It must have taken a lot of courage to tell him...and a lot of trust. Byleth probably...truly loved and missed his mother.  
  


Dimitri didn’t hesitate this time to give Byleth a hug. It might have been inappropriate at this time, but...that lonely and sad look in his eyes...he didn’t like that. He would do anything to see his professor happy and prevent him from being sad. This wasn’t even the full extent of his feelings.  
  


“...” Byleth didn’t hug him back at first, but after a few seconds passed, he hugged back. His face was buried within his shoulder and there were a few people giving them strange looks, but he ignored them. His professor was more important than anything else.  
  


After a while, they parted and looked out at the sunset again. Silence settled between the two and for a moment, neither of them said anything. Until Dimitri decided to speak up.  
  


“...If you don’t mind me asking, what was your mother like?”  
  


“My mother? Well...from the time that I knew her, she was very kind.” He had a firm grip on the fence. “She always spent most of her time with us when our dad couldn’t. That’s not to say she wasn’t strict.” Byleth laughed softly. “She would be stern with us sometimes, particularly during times where Bylethe would cause a little bit of trouble...and drag me into it too.”  
  


“Our mother would always bring cheer to the house, and she made sure that we would grow up well. She was a bit overprotective of us too. Our mother also...really loved music. She sang all the time when we were at home, and she had a beautiful singing voice as well.”  
  


Some of what Byleth was saying were bits and pieces of other things, as old memories came back. Dimitri didn’t mind. Since it was a long time ago that she died, it would make sense that he didn’t remember much at first. Now that he was remembering more well...Dimitri was glad.   
  


“She must’ve been a good mother.”  
  


“She was.” Byleth nodded.  
  


He played with the ends of his sleeves, pausing for a bit. Dimitri hesitated to speak for a few moments, before he nodded to himself.  
  


“I never properly knew my mother. My actual mother that is.” He started to speak softly. “She died a few years after I was born. She died from an illness. My father eventually remarried to another woman after careful consideration. That woman that he married also happened to be El- Edelgard’s mother.”  
  


“So you and Edelgard are step-siblings?”  
  


“Indeed we are.” Dimitri nodded. “My father and her mother were business rivals, they had a lot of meetings together. I don’t remember when El and I started to meet and play together, but I’d estimate it was when we were about...twelve or so years old. She was a kind woman- almost like how you described your own mother, I’d say. Except rather than loving to sing, she loved to dance instead- as well as sewing...which...I'm not particularly good at...”  
  


Byleth nodded in amusement.  
  


“I may not have known my biological mother properly, but I’d like to think she was like El’s mother.” He looked at the clouds in the sky. “Anyway, they got married a year later. Those times were some of the happiest times in my life...even though El and I bickered every so often.” His voice took on a more somber tone.  
  


“...” His professor paused. “Did something happen?”  
  


“Actually, my father...he also died in an accident some years ago. My stepmother too.” This wasn’t big news or anything...but when they died, everything fell into disarray.  
  


People worked to cover it up, and so everyone who knew what had actually happened was sworn to secrecy, hiding the truth from Dimitri. Edelgard didn’t bother to hide it properly, in fact, she told him. But he already knew. They didn’t die in an accident, rather, it was an assassination. He knew because he was there. Those assassins had spared him, but a darker part of him...wanted revenge. Even though he knew it would be impossible, and that revenge was pointless, he still…  
  


“Dimitri...are you okay?”  
  


He automatically nodded, snapping out of his thoughts. “Yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”  
  


Byleth was staring at him, looking into his eyes. For a few moments, Dimitri felt like he was being exposed. As if the other knew what dark emotions hide within him- it was like his soul was being exposed. It caused him to become a little nervous.  
  


“You just…” He then looked away. “You just had a dark expression. I was concerned.”  
  


“No need to concern yourself with me.” The words automatically spilled from his mouth.  
  


“...” Byleth let out a sigh.  
  


“Byleth?” Dimitri blinked.  
  


“Dimitri, if you say that I shouldn’t have any concern for you, then it should work the same way vice versa, where you don’t show concern for me. It's unfair if only one of us is concerned for the other, after all.”  
  


“No, but I can’t help it…” Dimitri trailed off, before seeing what his professor was trying to say.  
  


“Exactly, I can’t help but worry for you, just like you are concerned about me.”  
  


He nodded slowly. “I see…”  
  


Byleth hummed softly, before bringing out his notepad, writing something down before pausing and looking up at the birds flying in the sky. “I’ll ask you a question that I asked my afternoon class today.” Byleth didn’t look at him as he asked this question.   
  


“Why do you think birds fly?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the plot thickens...


End file.
